Rail-joint.



M. E. FREEMAN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19. 1912. RENEWED 1150. 15.1914.

1,146,862. Patented July 20, 1915.

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M. E. FREEMAN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-19,1912. RENEWED DEC. 15.1914.

Patented July 20, 1915.

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falom] Free mm. 1 5% sas MALON E.-FBEEMA1 T, OF COLBY, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH'TO LESTER c.

HOWARD AND ONE-FOURTH T0 FLOYD CASSELMAN, BOTH 0F HALFORD, KANSAS.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1915.

Application filed November 19, 1912, Serial No. 732,318. Renewed December 15, 1914. Serial 110,877,448,

pose to provide rail joint including, in'

combination with rail ends a rail chair and a fish plate, the connection between the chair, rails and fish plates beingsuch as to effectively sustain the rails against downward or lateral movement and to provide a smooth, unbroken surface at the meeting ends of the rails, and thus forming what may be termed a continuous rail.

A still further objectof the invention is the provision of a device ofthis character, including a rail chair and a fish plate, and wherein, a single securing element may be employed for effectively retaining the rail ends upon the chair and upon the fish plate.

With the above objects in view and others of a similar nature which will appear as the description pr0gresses,the improvement resides in the construction, combination and operative arrangementof parts set forth in the specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims- In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the meeting ends of a pairof rails connected in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section, taken approximately upon the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view upon the line 3-3 of Fig, 2. Fig. 4 is a sectionalview upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5' is-a perspective view of the'rail chair. Fig. 6 is a similar viewof the fish plate Fig. 7 is a'perspective view of one of the rail ends.

Referring now to the drawings in detail RR designate the rails. These rails are each provided with enlarged webs 1,'which have their opposite faces vertically'straight. The enlarged rail ends, are cut centrally and longitudinally to provide vertically straight inner faces or walls 2, and inclined walls 3 at either end ofthe straight faces. The extreme ends are provided with vertical walls 5, forming a wedge-like end. The walls 3 terminate in shoulders '6, the said shoulders being beveled at an opposite inclination to the ends 5, and whereby one of the said shoulders will provide what may be termed a pocket for the end 4: of the coacting rail. By such an arrangement it will be noted that the joint of the rail ends prosuitable distance away from the enlargements thereof are also formed with open ings 9, the said openings being adapted to receive a similar connecting element as will presently be fully setforth. Also the shoulders, which may be designated by the numerals 10 and which are provided between the webs and the enlargements of the rails perform a function which will hereinafter be alluded to.

J The numeral 12 designates the chair for the rail ends." This chair comprises a base portion which is horizontally straight and the said base has integrally connected therewith a vertical longitudinal extension 15. The ends of the extension are enlarged as at 16, to snugly engage with the inner sides of the rail webs, adjacent their enlargements, and the said enlarged portions of the chair are arranged adjacent the shoulders 10 of the rails. The portion of the vertical extension 15, between the said enlarged ends is arranged a suitable distance below the upper edges of the ends, and the said vertical portion is formed with depressions ararranged adjacent. the openings in the enlarged'ends of therails to permitthe insertion or adjusting of the securing elements, and the. enlarged ends are also provided with openings which register withthe loo openings 9 in the rail webs. The opposite y The numeral -19, designates an angular fish plate. This fish plate has its outer and i lower angular member centrally provided chair, and the said inclined flange is adapted to cooperate with the inclined edge of the fish plate. The fish plate has its inner face centrally reduced as at 24, and whereby the said fish plate may snugly engage with the enlarged web faces of the rail ends, and the shoulders 25, adjacent the ends of the said'fishplate are adapted to snugly engage with the rail webs adjacent the shoulders 10 thereof. The enlarged ends of the vertical flange of the fish plate are provided with openings which are adapted to register with the openings in the rail webs, and with the openings provided in the enlargements or shoulders formed upon the ends of the vertical member of the rail chair, the registering openings being adapted to receive securing bolts 26 and nuts 27 for the bolts. The shoulders25 of the fish plate are adapt ed. also to underlie the heads of the rails, and'the vertical member of the fish plate'is provided with a reduced longitudinally extending portion 29, adapted to contact with the outer faces of the rail heads. The vertical member of thefish plate is further provided with centrally arranged openings which are adapted to register with the openings provided in the enlarged webs of the rails ends, and these openings are, of course,

adapted to receive the usual securing nuts and bolts. v

In assembling the parts, the rail ends are first brought together on the base of the chair and moved thereon until their base flanges are arranged beneath the angular or overlying flange provided upon one side of the said chair, and also have their webs engage with the enlarged ends provided upon the vertical wall formed upon the overlying flange. When the parts are so arranged the fish plate is positioned at an angle, with its inner depressed portion, and the shouldered walls provided thereby brought into engagement with the upper portions of the enlargements of the rails beneath the heads'of the rails. This brings the lower edge' of the v beveled portion 23 of the fish plate in register with the upper edge of the inclined flange of the chair, and it will be noted that a downward pressure upon the lower and horizontal flange of the fish plate will force the said fish plate tightly upon the chair, so as to bring the opening 30 into register with the opening provided in the base of the fish plate, and to permit of the insertion of a securing bolt and nut therefor. When the parts are thus assembled it will be apparent that the additional securing elements may, if desired, be dispensed with, as the shouldered ends of the fish plate and rail chair effectively engage the webs of the rails, as well as the heads and base flanges of the said rails, adjacent the shoulders provided between the webs and the enlargements of the webs, so that a separation of the parts, without the removal of the securing means between the fish plate and the chair, is effectively obviated. However, I have found it preferable to employ the additional securing elements above referred to, as the same add to the security of the joint, inasmuch as should the first named securing elements become dislodged the remaining elements will effectively retain the joint in proper condition. It is to be under stood that the shouldered or enlarged ends of the chair and of the fish plate do not contact with the shoulders provided between the webs and the enlargements therefor so that contraction or expansion of the rails is not thus interfered with. i

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the simplicity and advantages of the device, will, it is thought, be apparent to those skilled in the art to which such inventions appertain, without further detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with rail ends, said rail ends being provided with web enlargements, a chair for therails, said chair having its base provided with an angular overlying flange which -is adapted to engage with the base flanges of the rail ends, the overlying flange being provided with a vertical upset portion, the ends of which have their inner faces enlarged and adapted to contact with the webs of the rails adjacent the enlargementsthereof, an angular flsh platefor the opposite faces of the rail ends, said fish plate having its vertical wall provided with shouldered ends, the said ends adapted to engage the webs of the rails adjacent their enlarged portions, and means for connecting the fish plate and chair with the rails.

2. The combination with the meeting ends of railway rails, each having web enlargements, a chair for the rails, said chair having one of its sides upset and provided with an angular flange which terminates in a vertically longitudinally extending wall, the ends of the said wall having their inner faces enlarged and adapted to abut against the balls of the rails, and the webs thereof adjacent the enlargements of the webs, when the rails are positioned upon the chair, the base of the chair having its opposite longitudinal edge provided with an angular flange, an angular fish plate, said fish plate having its inner face provided adjacent its ends with enlargements which are adapted to engage with the webs of the rails adjacent the enlargements thereof, the horizontal member of the angular fish plate having its outer edge beveled to co-act with the inclined upset flange of the chair, means for connecting the chair with the horizontal member of the fish plate, and means for connecting the chair and fish plate with the webs of the rail, and to the web enlargements of the rails.

3. In a rail joint, co-acting rail ends hav ing their outer faces provided with web enlargements, the said rail ends being approximately centrally provided with straight longitudinally extending walls, each of the said walls being inclined outwardly toward the end of the rail, and the said end of each of the rails being beveled, the said walls being further provided with abeveled portion which is inclined toward the opposite face of the rail, and which terminates in a beveled wall which provides a pocket, a chair for receiving the rail ends, said chair having one of its edges provided with an angular flange which overlies its base and which is adapted to receive the base flanges of the rails, the said beveled flrnge having an upprovide shoulders which are adapted to abut the webs of the rails, and to underlie the balls of the rails, the chair having its opposite longitudinal edge provided with an out wardly inclined upset flange, an angle fish plate, said fish plate having its vertical face depressed to provide its ends with shoulders, and the said shoulders adapted to engage with the webs of the rails adjacent their enlargements and to underlie the balls of the rails, the said fish plate having its inner face provided with a longitudinally extending depression which provides angular walls which engage both beneath the balls and the outer faces of the balls of the rails, the horizontal member of the fish plate having its longitudinal edge beveled from its bottom outwardly toward its top, the said inclined edge adapted to co-act with the inclined flange of the chair, means for securing the fish plate to the base of the chair and connecting means for the fish plate, the rails and the chair.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MALON E. FREEMAN. Witnesses:

Jon P. BURNS, CHAS. '1. SMITH.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

